1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates generally to the aggregation and publication of sensor node data and control node data, and, in particular, to subscription to content channels and sensor data by channel client, other sensor owners, and service providers who bid for the right to advertise services to content channel clients based on sensor data patterns for which the service providers can provide particular insight.
2. Background
Input devices (sensors, etc.) and output devices (control outputs, etc.) are often networked to enable remote monitoring and management operations, creating a network of sensor/control nodes.
It is common for access to networked sensor/control nodes to be carefully limited to only the owner of the sensor/control devices. For example, a network of sensors and controls for a home automation system might be purchased and installed by a consumer, and then managed privately by the consumer. A commercial entity, such as a manufacturing company, might install a similar network of sensors and controls in order to automate a manufacturing process. After installation, the sensor/control nodes are managed privately and directly by the company and its employees. In both cases, security safeguards are put in place to make sure that access to the sensor/control network is limited to authorized users.
In another common model, ownership and management of a sensor/control network may be partially or completely delegated to a third-party service provider. An example would be a security services firm which installs and maintains a network of cameras, sensors, alarms and so forth in order to protect the premises of their customers. In this case, the sensor/control network nodes could be owned by either the customer or the security company and management might be similarly split between the customer and the security company which also provides monitoring and management services which are tied to the sensor/control nodes.
Often, there may be a high degree of specialization required to delegate control of a sensor/control network to a service provider. Entire industries are created to manage one particular type of sensor/control network (security, for example) and single-provider management approaches are common. For example, it would be unlikely that a consumer would attempt to engage more than one security company to manage different parts of their property, even though one security service provider could be more adept at one type of security, say outdoors, while another might be better at managing indoor security or vehicle security.
Another challenge is that as sensor and control networks become cheaper and easier to install, the number and types of sensor/control devices increases to the point where fine-grained monitoring and management of a customers sensor/control network would be most efficiently accomplished by using multiple service providers, each of which must be given access to different portions of the same sensor network in a controlled and secure fashion. Since each connection between a sensor/control device and its related service provider may require customer interaction, the overhead of maintaining service provider relationships may quickly overwhelm the customer, leading to higher cost and less efficiency in the management of their sensor/control network.
Also, as sensor/control devices become increasingly cheaper and more numerous, device owners may discover that the sensor data and control points on their network have value to other network owners or to service providers. For example, temperature, rainfall, video surveillance, or other environmental monitoring data might have value to an entire geographical community, beyond the value to the individual device owner. Furthermore, it is well known that the value of an aggregated sensor/control network, shared amongst many owners, can be far higher than the sum of its individual sensor/control nodes. For example, a network of traffic cameras is far more useful than a single camera. So, it would make sense that sensor/control network owners will increasingly wish to offer subscription to their sensor/control network data and controls in a fine-grained, low-overhead, secure and controlled manner.
However, at present, monolithic service provider approaches are not amenable to this activity, as each provider tends to address only one class of sensor and control data (security, auto diagnostics, etc.) and generally limits access to the sensor and control networks to in-house experts. In addition, each service provider typically requires a significant customer commitment before offering service. For example, a customer of a security firm might pay a monthly fee for a set collection of services applied to a set collection of sensors and controls, and might also be required to sign a 12 month, or longer contract before receiving service. Changing the service arrangement requires a change in contract. And the security firm will not be able to manage the rest of the customer's sensor/control network, such as the lawn maintenance sensors and controls, or the home automation controls (lights, environmental, coffeepot timers, etc.)
In another scenario, an automotive diagnostic and management system might be attached to a network by means of a mobile radio network, linking the vehicle to the manufacturer's monitoring facilities. Again, in this case, any error or diagnostic condition will be available to and serviced by only the manufacturer's chosen representatives, limiting the ability of the vehicle owner to shop for competitive auto service based on the diagnostic sensor data.
Recently, the rise in the popularity of the Internet and its various forms of data publishing have enabled access to sensor data of all kinds, often in real-time. Web Cams are one example. Also, the dissemination of documentation for various sensors and sensor data values is becoming more widely available. For example, the trouble codes reported by most makes of automobiles are now widely available in web page form. Finally, networked interfaces are becoming more common for remote control and management of control outputs. An example would be remote control of a home's lights or environmental systems. However, although this increase in availability of information and control has made it easier for an individual or organization to understand and collect relevant sensor information and, in some cases, to control it, the complexity and volume of this data has only increased and will continue to increase as more sensor and control devices become networked.
Thus, a need exists for a system that makes possible the fine-grained and efficient outsourcing of sensor/control network device management and control, as well as providing for the efficient publishing of and subscription to sensor/control network data and control amongst numerous sensor/control network owners, service providers, and other parties. With such a system in place, users no longer need to perform tedious searches for relevant information, or manage numerous ongoing business relationships with service providers. Instead, the network of service providers collaborates to select and interpret sensor data and manage control endpoints, each hewing to their particular area of expertise, and each competing with others and paying for the right to interact with system users to provide services particular to their immediate needs. The system can be contrasted with the popular web search model, where users search for relevant information and services. In this system, information and services search for the user.